


Ours

by Peach_and_bugs



Series: I Think I Dreamed About Her - Kyalin Universe [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Canon LGBTQ Character, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Pre-Relationship, Queer Themes, Queer Youth, Teenage Dorks, Young Love, baby gays, young kyalin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peach_and_bugs/pseuds/Peach_and_bugs
Summary: Lin goes to Airtemple Island, expecting to study with Tenzin while Su bakes with Katara, but instead, she finds Kya clearly upset about something and has to figure out how to comfort her...
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II, mentioned Linzin
Series: I Think I Dreamed About Her - Kyalin Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105094
Kudos: 67





	Ours

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read alone, or read as a prequel to "I Think I Dreamed About Her." Both can be read on their own, but in my mind, they take place in the same AU/Canon divergence as one another.
> 
> This would take place two years before the first chapter of "I Think I Dreamed About Her" when Lin is 16 and Kya is 18

Lin generally didn’t mind the ride to Airtemple island, but she had forgotten that the Acolytes happened to get their monthly shipments today. Now she was trapped on a crowded boat with her younger sister with dwindling patience. Not to mention it was getting colder in Republic city, the water making the Ferry trip borderline freezing now. 

“Are we almost there Lin?” Su whined. Lin glanced at the seat beside her without moving from her position to see her younger sister’s upsidedown, head and arms dangling over the end of her seat. Lin huffed a breath and rolled her eyes, pulling her satchel bag, filled with homework and books, closer to her stomach as though it would help warm her.

“Sit up Su. You’re going to hurt yourself,” she grumbled. 

“No way I’m not!” The boat skidded to a stop and Su was jostled, getting knocked into Lin on her left. Lin shoved her off and Su stumbled on the boat dock. She gave Lin an indignant look, sticking her tongue out. “Why are we here anyway? It’s cold,” Su complained with a shiver. 

“I told you to wear a better coat. We’re here because Tenzin wanted to study for a test with me and Aunt Katara has something she wanted you to do,” she explained, weaving through boxes and acolytes to get off of the crowded ship, Su trailing after her.

“What does Katara want?” 

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask,” 

Su made another grumble that Lin ignored as she shoved her way to the dock. Once she was on the floating wooden planks and off of the boat, she finally felt like she could breathe. She shut her eyes and took a long breath, which fogged in a puff of condensation. Su rushed past her at full speed and her eyes snapped open once more. 

“Su! Slow down, you’re gonna hurt yourself!”

“No way! I’m fine-” With that, Su slipped as she spoke, smacking into the frosted wood of the dock. Lin rolled her eyes and lightly jogged to her younger sister instead of bolting full speed. 

“You good?” Lin asked, pulling Su to her feet. 

“I said I’m fine!” Su barked. Her cheeks puffed up like she was holding her breath, turning pink from the cold and likely embarrassment. Lin managed a small smile and patted her back. 

“Go find Katara. I’ll come to get you when we need to go home.” Lin nudged Su slightly, sending her off with a nod. She was left alone now and made her way to the island library where she was supposed to meet Tenzin. 

She stepped inside of the temple, warm air rushing through her clothes and combating the outside cold. She pulled her coat off, carrying it in one hand as she walked down the warm corridors. After a few left and right turns, she made it to the library. 

Lin always enjoyed the Airtemple's library. All of the walls were filled from floor to ceiling with books written by masters, philosophers, and artists from as far as the Earth kingdom and Fire nation. Some books dated back to before Aang was even born. Lin had read many books in this library, more than most people had, but she was nowhere close to finishing them all. 

She walked through the shelves, eyeing a few books that consisted of old epics and adventures about Avatar Kyoshi that she had on her list to read when she had time. She moved through the library gingerly, running her fingertips against the dusty spines of books as she approached the spot in the back where Tenzin always studied.

It was a small table in a corner with a large, open window beside it that looked over Katara’s garden. The table was always full of Tenzin’s studies and different books about the original Air nation, but this time, Tenzin wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Lin raised an eyebrow as she perused the unmoving mess, only to find a note with her name on it. 

She took it in her hand and unfolded it gingerly. Unconsciously, she scrunched her nose in mild disapproval when her eyes glinted over the small heart that dotted the “I” in her name. 

_Lin,_  
_I’m so sorry that I have to be a no-show to our study date. Dad had some Avatar business come up and wanted me to come along again. He wants me to be ready to take over his job eventually till the new Avatar is ready. I hope that you aren’t upset._

_I promise to bring something nice back for you,_  
_\- Tenzin_

She tutted and folded the note into her pocket, unsure why Tenzin would call their meetup a “study date”. Sure, they had been going out for a few months now and Lin let Tenzin call her his girlfriend, but hanging out and studying shouldn't be considered a date, right? At that thought, she wondered why it is that the word date would bother her in the first place. Tenzin was her boyfriend after all. 

The Earthbender shook her head in frustration and readjusted her bag slung over her shoulder, heavy with her books. She closed her eyes, taking a mixed emotion breath, and turned on her heels. She stopped and grabbed a volume of the Kyoshi book set she had been eyeing on the way out since she would now need something to do while Katara was with Su. 

She wasn’t sure where Katara had taken Su or what she wanted to do with her anyway’s, but something told her they would be in the kitchen. She swiftly crossed the temple, passing working acolytes as she found the warmth of Katara’s kitchen. She was immediately hit with an overwhelming sweet scent that seemed to flow from the oven.

“Lin! Look what Katara’s teaching me!” Su practically screamed when she entered the kitchen. Her younger sister held up a ball of something squishy, like dough. Her face and hands were covered in a dusting of something like four. She had a few smearings of likely chocolate on the corner of her mouth. Lin tried not to, but she smiled briefly with a light laugh. 

“Su honey, don’t drop the dough,” Katara instructed with a light laugh tickling her throat. She turned her attention to Lin and gave her a nod as she took the dough from Su. “I meant to catch you and tell you about Tenzin, hun,” Katara said with a small frown. Lin shrugged and hopped onto a stool that overlooked one of the counters. 

“It’s alright. I don’t mind. I can catch up on reading instead,” she said simply, her gaze flickering to the new book that she had tucked into her bag. Katara walked around to the other side of the counter, leaving Su at the family table. There was a fake cough from behind Lin and the older Earthbender pressed her lips into a line. 

“Nerd-” Su teased with another fake cough. She got quiet when Katara gave her a disapproving look. Lin wrinkled her nose at Su, who stuck out her tongue and pulled her bottom eyelids down. Katara stifled a laugh at the two girls as she kneaded the dough still in her hands. 

“If I remember right Kya should be around if you'd like to get into some trouble with her.” Lin’s brow raised at the mention of Kya. She hadn’t seen the Waterbender in the past week and the offer was tempting. It wasn’t like they had been avoiding each other. They had just both been busy, at least that’s what Lin thought. Testing was coming up, so most students would be studying as Lin had been. She wasn’t sure what Kya was up to though. Last she had seen her at school, something somehow seemed off with her. 

“You're also welcome to some of Su’s mochi if you're hungry. I’m sure Kya would like some too,” Katara suggested in a tone that seemed like she knew something Lin didn’t. Lin pondered the idea and eventually gave in with a single nod. 

Katara tipped her head and stopped kneading the dough, washing her hands, and packed a small paper box with an assortment of mochi for Lin to bring on her quest to find Kya. “I would assume she’s in her room, but I’m not too sure.”

“Thanks, Katara,” Lin murmured with a soft smile. She hopped off her stool and made her exit, but stopped short at the doorway. She glanced at Su, who was intently watching her. Lin glanced at the box in her hand and opened it up, picking out a pink ball and taking a small bite from it. She turned to Su and gave her a smile and a thumbs up. 

Her sister’s anxious gaze instantly warmed and she beamed. Lin closed the box and shook her head as she left to find Kya, finishing the mochi in hand as she left. She made her way to the north wing of the temple, where Kya had chosen to make her room. It was farther from most of the family, more in the direction the library had been. When Lin had asked why she chose her room, Kya had explained that her balcony window had the best view of the bay. 

Lin was about to make a right turn in the hallway when something that sounded like a splash of water diverted her attention. She happened to be passing the temple's training rooms, and if it was water she heard then Kya must be around. She cautiously slid the door open and poked her head inside when another splash of water slammed into the wooden wall just inches away from her face. Droplets of water splashed into Lin’s hair and on her skin and she froze with a squeaky sound. 

Kya still hadn’t noticed her as she stretched out her arms. She wore a loose blue top that let her athletic bindings poke out just slightly, with a baggy pair of pants that had been hicked up just below her knees. She must have worked up a sweat from bending because she suddenly lifted the hem of her blue top and whipped off her forehead, exposing a perfectly smooth yet toned stomach. 

Lin could feel steam spilling out of her ears as she instantly flushed bright red and attempted to hide behind the box of mochi in her hands. Kya turned to her left just enough to notice Lin in the doorway and she smiled. 

“Hey, didn’t see you come in,” Kya said. She was smiling as she spoke, but she didn’t sound the same. Normally, Kya would have jumped at the opportunity to tease Lin for her tomato complexion in a situation like this. There was a melancholy in her tone and a dull look in her eye. Lin struggled not to stumble on her words before answering.

“I wasn’t here long. I didn’t see anything if that's what your wondering...” Lin managed to mumble. Kya nodded and motioned for her to come in as she took a sip of water. She turned back to Lin and slouched against the wall, sliding down till she was sitting on the floor, legs outstretched in front of her. She lamely let her head rest against the wall, motioning for Lin to sit beside her. 

“You were supposed to do something with Tenny, right?” Kya asked, looking up at Lin before she sat down. The Earthbender nodded, swallowing as she noticed the few strands of nearly black hair that stuck to Kya’s forehead. “Sorry about that. Dad’s been whisking his little Airhead away any chance he gets lately,” Kya said with a single laugh. Lin shrugged and settled in beside her, the paper box nestled in her lap. 

“It’s alright. I know the Air nation is important to them both,” Kya snorted at that before taking another sip of water. “Your mom and Su made mochi if you want some,” Lin offered. She tilted her head to the side, confused by Kya’s deminer. At the moment, it felt like a role reversal or something. 

Kya didn’t generally get quiet and annoyed like this if you could even call what she was feeling "annoyed," anyway. That was generally Lin’s thing. Kya raised her brow and made a grabby hand towards the pastry Lin had brought, so she opened the box. Kya snagged a couple, holding them in the palm of her hand. 

“Not bad,” she nodded with a mouthful of pink. Lin smiled and nodded, taking a green one for herself. They sat in silence for a few minutes that felt like hours as Lin wracked her brain on how to ask Kya if she was alright. She couldn’t stand the silence much longer and pushed through her awkwardness. 

“Have you studied for your tests?” Lina sked and Kya shrugged.

“I’ll probably just wing it, honestly. That's normally what I do and it hasn’t completely failed me yet, so,” she turned her head to Lin with a forced smile and held up two crossed fingers. Lin nodded and looked down at her hands in her lap, wondering how to ask her next question.

“Are you doing ok? You've seemed kind of sad, maybe?” Lin mumbled, clearly unsure of herself. Kya stayed quiet and didn’t look at her but gave a small smile. 

“Esha broke up with me,” Kya murmured, biting into another mochi in her hand. Lin paused before nodding. Esha had been Kya’s most recent girlfriend if Lin was correct. She hadn’t met the girl, but she seemed to make Kya happy. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Lin asked. Kya stayed quiet once again, mulling it over before she sighed.

“It didn’t go great. Turns out, she had a boyfriend the whole time. Dating me had all been a joke between her and her friends. A truth or dare game or something, I don’t know,” Kya grumbled. “They thought it would be funny to make the gay girl think someone liked her. I guess it’s a great prank when you think about it,” She bent the rest of her water from her cup at the wall with another splash, watching it drip down the wood as she bit her lower lip. 

Lin bit the inside of her cheek, her hands balling into fists, clenching the fabric of her pants as Kya explained what had happened. She of course would be upset to hear it. Kya was one of her best friends and that made her care about the older girl. She wasn’t sure why hearing what had happened made her want to punch a hole in the wall. She could understand being upset, but what she was feeling now was borderline silent rage.

Noone deserved something like that, especially Kya! She was the sweetest person Lin knew, how could someone hurt her like that? Play with her feelings all for a dumb joke? Lin wracked her brain, trying to understand how someone could be so cruel to someone so genuine and real. While she thought about that, she toyed with why this made her so angry in her gut. Part of her wanted to find this “Esha” and her boyfriend and other friends and give them a piece of her mind.

“Hey, don’t worry that pretty mind of yours,” Lin snapped back to reality, her gaze instantly met with pools of crystal blue. “I’m fine, honest. Just a little bumped I guess,” Kya insisted. Kya had changed her sitting position and was now sitting on her knees, turned so she was directly facing Lin. She somehow undid Lin’s left fist and was now holding it in her hand, her thumb rubbing a comforting circle over her knuckles. 

Lin was now aware of how close they were. From here she could practically count each of Kya’s freckles. She noticed how full her eyelashes were, dancing like palm leaves over blue ocean water when she blinked. She also noticed the nearly unnoticeable gap in Kya’s two front teeth from when Bumi had nearly knocked them out in a wrestling match. Lin pulled her thoughts away from Kya’s appearance and gave a curt nod, squeezing her hand. 

Kya smiled and settled back into a similar position to before. Now her knees were pulled under up to her chin, her toes turned inward. She sighed heavily and as Lin watched her, the words she had said registered a minute too late. _Did she just call me pretty? No, she didn’t, right?_ Lin swallowed the lump in her throat and scooted closer to Kya. They were dragged into silence once more before Lin cleared her through.

“My mom used to tell me that when she was little, her mom would tell her that people throw rocks at things that are special,” she murmured. She heard Kya chuckle and felt warmth from the Waterbender as she leaned against Lin’s shoulder. Lin hesitantly wrapped her arm around Kya’s back and the older girl practically nestled into her neck. Lin thanked the spirits that she was the Earthbender here. That way, Kya couldn’t feel how fast her heart was beating, even though Lin had no idea why it would be.

“That’s a very Earthbender thing to say, isn’t it?” Kya murmured with a soft smile. Lin felt herself start to relax and smiled with a half-laugh. 

“Yeah, most of the sayings in my family involve rocks somehow,”

Kya took a long, deep breath, the air current causing a few strands of her hair to flutter upward. Lin licked her lower lip before chewing on it. She was new to this whole “comforter” thing. This sudden role reversal was a curveball in comparison to how interactions with Kya normally would go. 

“Do you ever think that there's something out of our control going on when it comes to love?” Kya asked unprompted. Lin scrunched her brow, pressing her lips in a firm line. She wasn’t sure what Kya could mean. When she didn’t respond, Kya elaborated. “Do you think that there's something like soulmates going on? Like all of our relationships were predetermined, and while it looks like we have control of the situation, we really can’t do anything about it?” Lin wrinkled her nose at the idea but decidedly shook her head.

“I don’t think so. That would mean that all the work that you put into a relationship would mean nothing,” she answered. Kya paused, thinking her response over before answering herself. When she did respond, her voice was unsteady and wet like she was about to cry. Lin felt her gut twist. 

“But doesn’t that mean all the work I put into this relationship was still pointless if this was the outcome I would get from the start?” 

“Katara would say something about this being a learning experience or something. But Kya,” she turned, pulling away from the older girl’s side so that she could face her head-on. She got hold of Kya’s hands, giving them each a tight squeeze of reassurance as sudden emotion scratched the back of her throat. “You did nothing to deserve what they did.” Tears began to spill from Kya’s eyes, but she stayed still, sniffing as she listened to Lin’s speech. 

“People can be brutal for no good reason sometimes. I know that’s something you wouldn’t fully understand since you're so kind and strive to always see the good in people and the bright side or whatever,” she brushed a tear away with her thumb and had to stop herself from getting distracted by how soft Kya’s cheek was. “But what they did wasn’t because of something you did.” 

“How do you know that, though? They did it because I’m-” 

“That’s not something you can control. It doesn’t count. Nothing warrants what they did, what she did. Because ultimately, that ‘prank’,” Lin let go of one of Kya’s hands and made an air quote, “was her decision. No one has the right to treat someone like that because they're different,” Lin’s voice was firm, but not in a mean way. She wanted Kya to understand that none of this was her fault. Kya sniffed again, drying her tears with her hand, and nodded, but she still didn’t seem convinced. 

“Besides, “Eska”, or “Esha”, whatever her name was, sounds like an asshole. You’re an upgrade from whatever douchebag she’s dating,” Lin said with a soft grin. Kya’s eyes widened and she laughed from surprise, covering her mouth with a hand. Lin never liked swearing. It made her feel like her mother, who swore more than a Firenation sailer. But she’d swear if it meant she could get Kye to laugh, even if it was just from surprise. Kya’s laughter subsided and she sighed, getting quiet again. 

“Lin, can I ask you something?” The Earthbender nodded. 

“Have you ever felt uncomfortable with me, or hearing me talk about girls?” Her voice sounded small. Smaller than Lin had ever heard her voice get before. 

“No. Not once.” Kya seemed surprised by this, so she shrugged casually. “Aang had given me a book that mentioned same-sex couples in the original Air nation a few years before you told me. I got curious and did some digging into other books.” Kya nodded, her surprise growing as Lin spoke. 

“Mom was always causal about her relationships. I’m pretty sure she had a female partner at some point.” Lin smiled at Kya’s evident shock and went on. “We never really talk about it, but she taught Su and me that when it comes to love, she doesn’t care who we end up with one way or the other,” Kya nodded with a reassuring breath. 

“Thank you, Lin. I needed this,” she murmured. She squeezed Lin’s hand that she was still holding and Lin felt the gentle circle of her thumb once more. She focused on Kya’s face as to once again, not get distracted by the light touch, and nodded. 

“Of course. You're the best friend that I have and the most compassionate person I know. I care about you.”

“I think I forget about that sometimes.”

“Forget what?”

“That there are still people like you in the world. People that actually care.”

“I think you mean there more are people like you. You’ve always been better at feelings than me,” Kya stayed silent. Her blue gaze seemed to pierce through Lin’s skin like she was studying everything about the younger girl’s features and demeanor. She slowly blinked and shook her head. 

“I think you’re secretly a sap that cares more about people than you'll ever let on,” Kya smiled softly before leaning forward, wrapping Lin in a surprise hug. Lin froze, unsure what to do with this new information. She warped her arms around Kya’s back and gently squeezed her before the Waterbender let go. 

“You might be right about that. But only a little,” Lin muttered, which made Kya laugh. Lin had always liked her laugh. She liked how contagious her laugh was, she thought as she began to laugh along with the Waterbender.

**Author's Note:**

> Did I this around 2:00 am last night and just finish it during my lunch break while listening to Tayler Swift the entire time? Yes, I did. Do I regret it? Absolutely not, because I love writing Lin and I love making her clueless to her obviously not platonic feelings. This was based specifically on "Ours" by Tayler Swift and has a couple of nods to the song if you can catch them all.
> 
> Expect a lot of one-shots coming soon. I have way too many ideas all of the sudden, most involving young Kya and Lin and maybe one based on "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield.


End file.
